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Description:

Grants to USA, Canada, and International biomedical scientists affiliated with a qualifying research, medical, or academic institution for high priority research on pancreatic cancer. This grant will support research that is poised for crucial translational next steps that will apply scientific discovery to real-world application in patients. Proposed research should aim to identify novel targets and approaches to the treatment of pancreatic cancer or understand and circumvent treatment resistance.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has partnered with the Celgene Corporation to accelerate the development of novel therapies by establishing strong relationships between academia and industry through research grants. Funded projects will benefit from industry input and insight, leading to an accelerated translation into a therapeutic product. Projects will be strategically supported by both the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and Celgene to facilitate progress and increase the likelihood of success.

To be eligible for a Translational Research Grant, the research project should aim to identify novel targets and approaches to the treatment of pancreatic cancer or understand and circumvent treatment resistance. Of particular interest are research projects that fall into at least one of these three areas of research: a) Immune context and tumor microenvironment interactions, (b) Regulators of pathogenesis, progression and metabolism, with particular interest in epigenetic mechanisms and (c) Transcriptional networks essential for viability and maintenance of malignant phenotype.

Study Scope and Project Topics:

Projects should be built on a strong foundation of basic research and propose steps that translate that finding into a drug or immunologic approach to the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The intent of the project should be to extensively validate novel targets and/or identify novel approaches to the treatment of pancreatic cancer or understand and circumvent treatment resistance. Translational research involving robust animal models is permitted but there is emphasis on the incorporation of human tumors or tumor-derived tissue. There is particular interest in co-development of a biomarker that can be used to identify a subset of pancreatic cancer patients most likely to respond to the proposed therapeutic intervention. Projects should not include proprietary compounds for which the PI or institution does not control intellectual property rights. It is recognized that translation into clinical testing is unlikely to be feasible within the scope of these projects.

Application projects are limited to the following:
1. The study of a molecular treatment or approach but not a device or surgical intervention.
2. A molecular treatment or approach that is novel and within the intellectual property rights of the applicant's institution. Combination treatments that are dependent on proprietary compounds outside the control of the applicant are not permitted.
3. Studies that fall into at least one of these three areas of interest:
- Immune context and tumor microenvironment interactions.
- Regulators of pathogenesis, progression and metabolism, with particular interest in epigenetic mechanisms.
- Transcriptional networks essential for viability and maintenance of malignant phenotype.

The following are examples of projects that fall within the project scope of the 2019 Translational Research Grant. Please note that these are examples and projects are not restricted to these specific projects.

-In-depth studies to understand the impact of disrupting a molecular mechanism that regulates a component of the immune response (e.g., T-cell exclusion) in a genetically-engineered mouse model of pancreatic cancer with supporting data from human pathological specimens.

-Molecular mechanisms underlying the role of factors produced by supporting cells, such as macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells and/or fibroblasts, in paracrine support of tumor epithelial cell proliferation using complex modeling systems (e.g., human tumor-derived cells in organotypic models).

-Studies to understand short and long term effects of disrupting the activity of a chromatin remodeling enzyme or a Zn-finger transcription factor on tumor cell proliferation and metabolism in molecularly characterized patient-derived xenografts (or other complex model systems).

Funds can be used for salaries and benefits, laboratory supplies, equipment (maximum of 10 percent of total grant), subject trial costs and publication charges for manuscripts that pertain directly to the proposed project. Expenses for regular communications can be included if a co-PI is located at a different institution.

For institutions that mandate payment of indirect costs, a maximum of 10 percent of the total grant may be used for this purpose across all institutions.

Special Consideration:

Please be advised that the Celgene Corporation will be involved with the funded project, will have access to project results such as progress reports and will have first negotiation rights for further project development. Further, publishable manuscripts that result from funded projects are subject to editorial review by Celgene. If the applicant believes that this creates a conflict or for further information, please contact the Foundation before applying.

GrantWatch ID#:

GrantWatch ID#: 166433

Number of Grants:

It is anticipated that four Translational Research Grants will be awarded.

Estimated Size of Grant:

The Translational Research Grant provides $500,000 over two years.

If expanded for a third year, an additional $250,000 will be granted.

Term of Contract:

The project term is two years; however, contingent on success, projects may be expanded to a third year. Expansion will be determined separately from this application. The grant term begins July 1, 2019.

Eligibility:

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

Applicant Eligibility:

-Applicants must have a doctoral degree (including PhD, MD, DO, DC, ND, DDS, DVM, ScD, DNS, PharmD or equivalent) in the biomedical sciences or in a field applicable to health science research and not currently be a candidate for a further doctoral degree.

-The contact principal investigator (contact PI) must be affiliated with an accredited academic, medical or research institution. International institutions are included.

-One co-PI may be named. The co-PI can be affiliated with any academic, medical or research institution, including international institutions. The co-PI must have a doctoral degree. Researchers can be a contact PI on one application and may be identified as a co-PI on a second application.

-Employees or subcontractors of a government entity are not eligible to be a PI or to receive funds from the grant, but can be included as a collaborator or project investigator.

A maximum of 10 percent may be used for indirect costs, which is part of the total grant amount.

Any general office supplies or individual institutional administrative charges (e.g., telephone, other electronic communication, utilities, IT network, etc.) are considered to be part of indirect expenses and are not allowable budget line items.

Professional membership dues, pre-award charges and any other research-related expenses not directly related to the project are not allowable expenses. In addition, no grant funds may be directed toward salary or benefits of any individuals from a government or for-profit entity, or for any research expenses related to the project that are incurred by these individuals.

Pre-Application Information:

Important Dates:
- Applications are due on December 21, 2018, by noon Eastern Standard Time using the proposalCENTRAL website.
- Funding decisions are anticipated by May 2019.
- Start of grant term is July 1, 2019.
- Grant recipients are expected to attend the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Annual Scientific Summit. Exact dates and location are to be determined.